Jill Zarin has been fired from E!’s upcoming Real Housewives of New York City reunion series, titled The Golden Life, following her comments about Bad Bunny‘s Super Bowl halftime show.
“In light of recent public comments made by Jill Zarin, Blink49 Studios has decided not to move forward with her involvement in The Golden Life. We remain committed to delivering the series in line with our company standards and values,” read a statement to Us Weekly on Tuesday, February 10. (Variety was first to report the news.)
Zarin, 62, voiced her opinion on social media after Bad Bunny’s halftime performance on Sunday, February 8.
“It was the worst halftime show ever,” Zarin claimed in a since-deleted video. “I just don’t think it was appropriate to have it in Spanish, and, quite frankly … grabbing his G [groin] area … I think it was totally inappropriate. You’ve got all these young kids watching the Super Bowl, and he doesn’t have to be grabbing himself every five seconds because he’s so insecure. Seriously.”
The Bravo alum continued, “I don’t speak Spanish. I would’ve liked to have known the words he was saying. To me, it looked like a political statement because there were literally no white people in the entire thing. I’m not taking a side, one way or the other … I think it was an ICE thing. I think that the NFL sold out, and it’s very sad.”
Zarin also threw shade at Lady Gaga, who made a surprise appearance during the Super Bowl performance. According to Zarin, Gaga, 39, was nearly unrecognizable.
“Lady Gaga got a facelift. … I literally had to Google her face to see who it was because we all couldn’t agree who it was,” Zarin said. “That was kind of fun in the middle of halftime. At least it gave us something to do because it was so hard to watch.”
E! announced The Golden Life earlier this month, with Zarin set to appear alongside fellow RHONY alums Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Kelly Bensimon and Sonja Morgan.
Following Zarin’s review of the Super Bowl 2026 halftime show, her daughter, Ally Shapiro, shared her own two cents in opposition of her mother’s controversial take.
“IMO I loved it [so much],” she wrote via her Instagram Story on Monday, February 9, sharing a clip from the show. “The cinematography was fantastic. It was like they put filter over it it looked like a film.”
She added, “Best halftime show in years. Which honestly is weird to even call it that it was like a true performance with a story line and actors and the direction, lighting everything was perfect.”
The brand Zarin Fabrics, meanwhile, asserted in an Instagram statement that the former reality star did not speak for the company or represent the company’s views.
“Zarin Fabrics stands firmly against racism, discrimination, and rhetoric that seeks to exclude or diminish people based on identity, culture, or background,” read a post shared on Monday, which included a photo of Zarin with a large red “X” over her face. “We want to be absolutely clear that Jill Zarin has not had ownership of or been associated with Zarin Fabrics for several years. Our company operates independently, and any public statements attributed to her are made in a personal capacity and do not reflect our values, beliefs, or operations.”
The statement continued, “Zarin Fabrics is built on creativity, collaboration, and respect for the diverse communities that shape art, culture, and expression. We condemn language or viewpoints that undermine those principles, and we remain committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment in everything we do.”
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